Paint can attachment



1961 E. s. GIZA 2,996,215

PAINT CAN ATTACHMENT Filed March 17, 1959 INVENTOR Eda/m 3612a BY i ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,996,215 PAINT CAN ATTACHMENT Edwin S. Giza, 17 Beston 'St., Chicopee, Mass. Filed Mar. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 799,887 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-90) The present invention relates to improved attachments for paint cans.

It has ben recognized in the past that the round opening in paint cans provides far from an ideal edge for stripping excess paint from a brush toobtain the desired amount of paint for a given application. Thus it is that many devices are found in the prior art for providing a straight edge against which paint brushes may be wiped to strip off excessive paint and return it to the paint can. These devices have been in the form of attachments for paint cans as Well as modified paint can constructions. None of these devices have, however, met with any substantial measure of success either because of expense or lack of effectiveness.

The object of the present invention is to provide a straight stripping edge attachment for paint cans which overcomes the deficiencies of prior devices for the same general purposes.

The object of the invention is also to provide an attachment of the type referred to which is inexpensive, readily attached and removed from standard paint cans and easily cleaned.

The paint can attachment of the present invention is characterized by a downwardly open grooved portion adapted to receive the upstanding rim conventionally defining the opening in a paint can. The angular extent of the grooved portion is approximately 120. A plate is formed integrally therewith and disposed beneath the upper edge of the paint can opening. The plate provides a straight edge against which a paint brush may be wiped. The attachment is preferably integrally molded of high density polyethylene. The preference for high density polyethylene is had because of its inertness to the solvents used in most all paints and its oily surface which prevents paints from adhering to its surface thus facilitating cleaning of the attachment.

The above and other related objects and features of the invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description of the disclosure found in the accompanying drawing and the particular novelty thereof will be pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a paint can with an attachment of the present invention mounted thereon; and

FIG. 2 is a section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line IIII in FIG. 1.

In the drawing there is illustrated a paint can of conventional construction comprising a sheet metal cylindrical body with an annular member 212 in the form of a sheet metal ring secured to its upper end and defining the top of the can. The member 12 comprises a bead 14 capturing the upper edge of the cylinder 10. Inwardly of and beneath the bead 14 is a ledge 16 which leads to a circular groove 18, which conventionally receives the lid of the paint can. The inner portion of the groove 18 is defined by an upstanding cylindrical rim which is re- "ice versely folded or headed to provide a rotmded edge 20 which in turn defines the opening of the can.

The attachment of the present invention is a unitary member molded of high density polyethylene available from W. R. Grace & Co. under the trademark Grex. While high density polyethylene is the preferred material, it will, of course, be appreciated that any other plastic having like or similar properties would be considered an equivalent for the purposes served by high density polyethylene in the present invention.

Referring again to the drawing and particularly FIG. 2, the present attachment comprises a groove 22 defined by an inner cylindrical section 24 and an outer cylindrical section 26. The groove 22 receives the rounded edge 20 with the cylindrical section 26 entering the groove 18. The cylindrical section 24 is provided with a circumferential rib 28 projecting into the groove 22 while the section 26 is outwardly flared at 30. The rib 28 and flared portion 30 cooperate in giving a snap action which effectively locks the attachment on the paint can in the fashion illustrated.

The ends 32 of the grooved portion of the attachment are formed on radii from the center of the can and are spaced apart approximately A horizontal plate 34 extends inwardly of the lower end of the cylindrical section 24 and terminates in a straight stripping edge 36. It will also be seen that holes 38 are provided in the plate 34 adjacent the section 24. The present attachment is of substantially uniform cross-section throughout with the cross-sectional thickness advantageously being in the order of .070 inch.

The attachment is illustrated as it would be used by a painter. The straight stripping edge 36 is advantageously disposed so that excess paint may be evenly stripped from a flat sided brush. The stripped paint will either fall directly back into the can or will return into the can through the openings 38. With the plate 34 spaced beneath the can opening, i.e. the rounded edge 20, there is no reason for paint to coat any part of the can. High density polyethylene is unaffected by the solvents of all ordinary paints, varnishes and the like and therefore will stand up for a long period of use. Further, high density polyethylene has an oily surface to which paint will not readily adhere, thus the present attachment may be removed and readily cleaned after being used. Removal of the attachment is, of course, a simple matter since the high density polyethylene has sufiicient flexibility and resiliency to permit it to be pried from the can.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as novel and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

An attachment for paint cans having a sheet metal ring comprising an outer bead gripping the cylindrical body of the can, an intermediate annular ledge spaced beneath said bead and an annular groove spaced downwardly from said ledge and defined in part by an inner rim which is reversely folded inwardly to provide a rounded edge defining the opening into said can, said attachment comprising an integrally molded member formed of high density polyethylene and having a downwardly open circularly grooved portion including inner and outer concentric cylindrical sections, said downwardly open groove being adapted to receive said rounded edge, said inner cylindrical section having a circumferential rib projecting into said downwardly open groove, said outer cylindrical section being outwardly flared at its lower end and received by the groove in said metal ring, said grooved portion having radially formed end Walls spaced apart approximately 120, a plate-like portion extending in- 5 wardly from the lower end of said inner cylindrical section in a plane at right angles thereto and disposed beneath said rounded edge, said plate-like portion terminating in a straight edge which lies substantially on a chord extending between the ends of said inner cylindrical 10 section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Cahaney May 16, Greer June 15, Ferguson Jan. 27, Ryan Oct. 2, Donoghue May 5,

FOREIGN PATENTS France Sept. 18, 

